Boxing Breakfast: Oscar de la Hoya Talks About Pacquiao-Marquez III
by Scott Christ on May 1, 2011 5:00 AM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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Pacquiao-Mosley Fight Week
It is officially Pacquiao-Mosley Fight Week here at Bad Left Hook. We'll have the usual copious amounts of coverage for the big event, but here are a few highlights coming your way:
- Wednesday: The first episode of the Bad Left Hook Radio podcast, which will focus mostly on the Pacquiao-Mosley fight and undercard.
- Friday: Staff picks for Pacquiao-Mosley.
- Saturday: Live, round-by-round coverage and scoring, with immediate post-fight analysis of all four bouts on the card.
Oscar de la Hoya Grumpy About Pacquiao-Marquez Offer
Golden Boy's Oscar de la Hoya is all mad about the offer Top Rank made for a third fight between Top Rank's Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, who is technically a free agent but still has some ties to Golden Boy Promotions. From BoxingScene.com:
"For me, [making that offer] shows disrespect to everyone in the press, the people and the fans. Because Pacquiao has a fight with Mosley and what does this tell you? That Pacquiao will defeat Mosley? It's not right."
For me, Oscar so loudly acknowledging the offer tells me that he knows his company cannot match the offer -- reported to be $5 million plus incentives for Marquez -- and that they're going to have to let JMM walk without making any more money off of him, outside of that piece of Pacquiao they get. Basically all signs point to Pacquiao-Marquez III if Pacquiao is successful on May 7 against Shane Mosley, who also left Golden Boy to land the fight with Pacquiao.
I don't totally disagree that maybe Top Rank should have waited to make the offer, but at the same time they have to make sure their ducks are in a row. They can give media lip service to "styles make fights" and "you can't count out Shane Mosley" all day long, and maybe a few of the people at Top Rank even believe all of that, and give Shane Mosley a chance on May 7, but either way they're in the Manny Pacquiao business and they want another fight for him this year. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is not an option, so Marquez shoots to the top of the list. So instead of seeing if Golden Boy re-signs Marquez -- and Marquez has negotiated with Golden Boy -- they make an offer.
Also, I get the feeling Top Rank wasn't exactly looking to get this publicized.
On a conference call last week, Shane Mosley was asked about the rumors of Pacquiao-Marquez III and how he felt about the information going public. Mosley's response was, "That’s fine. You have to look to the next fight and the next fight, you have to look ahead of time. That’s what makes Top Rank a great promoter."
When Bob Arum was asked, he responded, "You take whatever Schaefer says as gospel, so we’ll leave it at that. We have no comment. … It’s absurd, because Manny has a very tough fight with Shane Mosley, but just carry on listening to Schaefer all you want, write your stories accordingly."
Todd duBoef of Top Rank has also basically gone with "no comment," noting that he's focused on May 7.
So how can Oscar really be getting his dander up about this when it was his company that put the information out there? It was Richard Schaefer who went public with the offer. And sure, Schaefer had the right to do that, but Golden Boy could have quietly sat on the offer, discussed possibilities with Top Rank, whatever. Instead they took the information public. And fine, I don't care that they did. But if they hadn't, no one would even know. They understand the offer. Shane Mosley is a huge underdog and you can't sit around waiting to look forward. Promoters constantly look forward to the next fight for their star fighters. This isn't new. Golden Boy does it, too. So it's just Oscar being Oscar, really.
Saturday Roundup
- Darren Barker outpointed Domenico Spada in London, while Ashley Sexton barely got past Mike Robinson.
- In Argentina, Ulises Solis emerged thankfully victorious over dirty, rotten Luis Alberto Lazarte in a dreadful rematch of their first dreadful fight. This one had even less action. Solis won a split decision. If they fight a third time, please don't offer that as a fight to get anyone "into" boxing.
- Adrian Hernandez beat Gilberto Keb Baas in a good action fight. The fight was stopped after ten. Best fight of the weekend, but counting the entire week, I give the nod to the John Simpson-Stephen Smith rematch from Wednesday.
- Raul Garcia stopped Rommel Asenjo (TKO-3) and Ramon Garcia Hirales knocked out Jesus Geles (KO-4) on a body shot in their Mexico City rematch.
- Tepparith Singwancha (16-2, 10 KO) upset Drian Francisco (20-1-1, 16 KO) in flyweight action early this morning in the Philippines. Fightnews.com called the decision "close but clear."
Fight Chatter
- Cristian Mijares (BLH #5) will take on Raul Martinez (BLH #4) for Mijares' super flyweight trinket on May 14 in Durango, Mexico. That's a hell of a good fight. If Mijares is really back to the form that at one time had him in the pound-for-pound top ten, I think he outboxes Martinez pretty handily.
- The Pawel Wolak-Delvin Rodriguez Friday Night Fights main event will be on June 24 or July 8, according to Wolak.
After the jump: Link Parade and the Song MST3K Short of the Day
Link Parade!
- Results from the 2011 National Golden Gloves competition. I can only but imagine a time when this would have actually been big news, but the American amateur boxing program and amateur boxing in general in this country has really fallen off.
Song MST3K Short of the Day
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I think Oscar’s comments are largely sour grapes, but I’m not crazy about this idea that Top Rank simply needs to get all of its ducks in a row. It’s not like they have to make sure a Pacquiao opponent is accepted by a network or venue. I’m also not sure why you’re focused on the issue of publicity here either; I read Oscar as saying that the act of having the next fight signed (and not merely lined up) before Mosley even enters the ring is what’s disrespectul, not the fact that the information about the contract was made public.
And to echo something I said in the other thread on this, I also disagree with this idea that Mayweather was categorically NOT an option when this offer to Marquez was made, especially since this preceded the further delaying of his trials. I agree that neither side seems particularly interested in making it before the end of the year, but I hope we won’t be treated to another round of Arum telling us what a gosh darned good faith effort he made to get Floyd in the ring. I don’t think it was true for this May fight, and it clearly won’t be the case for Pacquiao’s next fight either.
I think Oscar’s comments are largely sour grapes, but I’m not crazy about this idea that Top Rank simply needs to get all of its ducks in a row. It’s not like they have to make sure a Pacquiao opponent is accepted by a network or venue.
They have to make sure that their target opponent, Marquez, doesn’t sign a new contract with the promotional company that literally will not co-promote with them. Or at the very least, they have to let him — and Golden Boy, legally — know what the offer is. Marquez has already talked to Golden Boy and they’ve given him ideas about what they can do for his career. A fight with Judah was offered by Main Events, for instance. They can’t realistically not make an offer in this situation if they feel that Marquez is the most attractive option.
I’m also not sure why you’re focused on the issue of publicity here either; I read Oscar as saying that the act of having the next fight signed (and not merely lined up) before Mosley even enters the ring is what’s disrespectul, not the fact that the information about the contract was made public.
What would he be complaining about if nobody but lawyers and executives were discussing the fight? Who would he be complaining to? I have a tough time buying any “that’s disrespectful” talk from the guy giving Manny Pacquiao a briefcase of cash and trying to sign Nonito Donaire before a contract is up.
And to echo something I said in the other thread on this, I also disagree with this idea that Mayweather was categorically NOT an option when this offer to Marquez was made, especially since this preceded the further delaying of his trials.
What would you do in this situation? Drag out another lame negotiation with Mayweather and whoever represents him this time around, knowing that it’s probably a 5-10% chance you actually sign a fight, or go ahead and find a money fight that you think you can make for far less of a headache? I mean, that’s a serious question. Would you really risk having Manny stuck without a Marquez fight that you’re quite sure you can make, to negotiate on a dead end street with Floyd? Outside of Marquez, who would they turn to? Tim Bradley?
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
Also Top Rank has made very clear that should Mosley beat Pacquiao, a Mosley-Pacquiao rematch is next. That’s a contractual obligation. I’m sure the Marquez offer has asterisks.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
They have to make sure that their target opponent, Marquez, doesn’t sign a new contract with the promotional company that literally will not co-promote with them. Or at the very least, they have to let him — and Golden Boy, legally — know what the offer is. Marquez has already talked to Golden Boy and they’ve given him ideas about what they can do for his career. A fight with Judah was offered by Main Events, for instance. They can’t realistically not make an offer in this situation if they feel that Marquez is the most attractive option.
Of course, and I think that’s the main reason they’re making the offer now. But I doubt Marquez would even consider signing a contract either way before the Mosley fight anyway, because, as you note, Mosley is probably guaranteed a rematch if he wins. I understand Top Rank has to credibly demonstrate that he’ll get a Pacquiao fight, but I don’t think he was ever going to commit to Golden Boy this early.
What would he be complaining about if nobody but lawyers and executives were discussing the fight? Who would he be complaining to? I have a tough time buying any "that’s disrespectful" talk from the guy giving Manny Pacquiao a briefcase of cash and trying to sign Nonito Donaire before a contract is up.
I don’t really care to spend a lot of time analyzing the nuances of wise Oscar’s words (especially, since as I said, I think they’re mainly fueled by bitterness here), but I believe he’s simply trying to paint his rival in a bad light. Yes Golden Boy made the offer public, but he’s trying to say that the very existence of the offer, even at the level of lawyers and executives is arrogant/disrespectful/presumptuous.
What would you do in this situation? Drag out another lame negotiation with Mayweather and whoever represents him this time around, knowing that it’s probably a 5-10% chance you actually sign a fight, or go ahead and find a money fight that you think you can make for far less of a headache? I mean, that’s a serious question. Would you really risk having Manny stuck without a Marquez fight that you’re quite sure you can make, to negotiate on a dead end street with Floyd?
I guess it depends on the chances you assign to the fight getting signed and the extent to which you want to negotiate. I also think one can be making an honest effort to secure the fight everyone wants to see without necessarily getting dragged into an extended negotiation (and I mean really, only the December 2009 negotiations could be understood as detrimentally long in any real sense).
I Outside of Marquez, who would they turn to? Tim Bradley?
Probably Bradley or Cintron. Both probably come cheaper than Marquez anyway and Bradley would probably be willing to sign with Top Rank to make it happen. While Cintron isn’t the most credible opponent right now, that hasn’t been a problem lately.
This is Oscar talking after all.
Not known exactly as the greatest spokeperson, Oscar is transparently upset that JMM is being offered something he cannot offer him.
This is pure business and the losing agency thus far somehow thinking that claims of “disrespect” have any traction is silly. Shane has said as much and I have a pretty strong idea that JMM thinks otherwise as well.
And it is to them, after all, that Oscar and TR owe both respect and the best opportunities. They do in the end service their clients. Or risk having them go elsewhere.
“No Comment” is probably the best comment for the moment.
It’s the safest and arguably the most dignified and ‘respectful’.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
I'm excited for Moseley/Pac
Started to hit me last night
Me too....
A fight is a fight is a fight.
Mosely is alive and still has the ability to surprise. I look at this fight the same as I did the Hatton fight in this regard: In the early rounds, a lot can happen. Mosely has bad intentions as I am sure Hatton did. Thing turned out bad for ricky but his not trying was not one of the reasons. He swung and missed. And paid severely.
Shane will be coming early and fireworks should be ignited. Do I think the result will look anything like Hatton? No. But if you had asked anyone if they expected one man to be lying half dead on the canvas in two, no one would have said yes.
Manny will get hit….but Lord have mercy on Shane if his primary assault fails to stop the no longer little man.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
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